


There's A Fire In My Soul

by Why_do_you_want_to_know



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Abusive John Winchester, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Awesome Bobby Singer, Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Child Abuse, Closeted Dean Winchester, Dean Winchester Loves Castiel, Dean Winchester is Protective of Sam Winchester, Dean Winchester is Sam Winchester's Parent, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Homophobic John Winchester, Hurt Dean Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, I THEN had to edit it, I hate tagging, I'm not gonna judge, It's not enough that I wrote this, John Winchester Being an Asshole, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Kinda Fluffy, Loving Castiel (Supernatural), Loving Dean Winchester, M/M, Protective Castiel (Supernatural), Secret Relationship, Supportive Sibling Sam Winchester, THEY ARE JUST, This Is Not The John Love Club, Violence, and NOW I have to figure out what I wrote?, but not worse than the show, except for the really angst bits, except it's John doing it, no beta we die like men, oblivious everyone, or however you want to die, parent on child violence, so cute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:01:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24929593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Why_do_you_want_to_know/pseuds/Why_do_you_want_to_know
Summary: Castiel just wants to meet Dean's family. After three years of dating, Dean finally agrees.Sam is pleased for them.John seems fine about it, but as soon as Cas leaves it all goes downhill very quickly.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, everyone is friends with everyone else
Comments: 26
Kudos: 369





	1. The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> I have written a thing!!  
> Thank you so much for clicking on my fic!!  
> I hope you enjoy!!

Dean smiled as a familiar head of dark hair appeared through the crowd of other students rushing out of school. Dean was standing by his locker, grabbing the books he would need for homework and leaving the ones he didn't, while he waited for his boyfriend.

Cas had been asking Dean why he couldn't come round and meet Dean's family for at least two years now. They had become best friends on Dean's first day at school, after John had moved them to Illinois and decided that was where they were going to stay, and they had started dating not long after. Three years on and they were still going strong, but Cas was clearly getting a little bit antsy over the fact he had never met Dean's family, not even Sam, who Dean talked about at least once a day.

Eventually, Dean had given in. He still didn't think this was a good idea, but he knew he couldn't keep doing this to Cas', and he really did want him to meet - and hopefully get along with - Sammy. It was John who Dean was worried about.

He didn't actually know what John's opinions on LGBT+ was, but judging from his macho man beliefs and dislike of anything which was different, Dean didn't exactly have high hopes.

He didn't expect it to go well, but he had promised Cas and he refused to let the love of his life continue being his dirty little secret. He loved Cas, and if anyone didn't like that, it was their problem. Not his.

"Hello Dean," Cas said with a wide grin, stopping next to Dean close enough that their shoulders were pressed together while Dean finished closing his locker. Despite being very much in the closet with his family, he and Cas never hid what they were to each other at school, holding hands and walking through the corridors right next to each other. They didn't get to see each other as much as they would like out of school, and due to Dean being in the closet, Dean's work, and Cas' after-school activities, they had figured if they weren't out at school then when would they be able to be together? The weekend except from Saturday morning, and whenever they could find the time? They could deal with any bullies if it meant they could be together.

As it was, except from the first couple of weeks, and the odd jock who still stuck to their outdated opinions, they didn't actually have that many problems. Dean was smart, good at sport and overall a really nice guy, and Cas was cute, caring and - especially once he'd come out of his shell after making friends with Dean - pretty popular. Because of that, most people didn't care who they wanted to date.

"Heya Cas, ready to go?" Dean asked, putting his locker key into the pocket of his bag and zipping it up, "we'll pick Sam up on the way back, so you'll have time to get used to him and his shaggy face before we get home."

Cas laughed slightly at Dean's description of his brother, clearly excited to meet the Sam Winchester who Dean was so proud of. Dean had basically raised the kid, his dad too busy working, and Cas knew that and instead of pitying Dean and the things he had to do, he just got excited to meet Sam, who Cas said he already knew would be an awesome kid if he had Dean for a role model.

"Sounds perfect," Cas announced with a grin, lacing their fingers together and practically dragging Dean out of school and towards baby, who was parked as far away from the entrance as possible so no one accidentally scratched her. "Does he know you're bringing someone home from school?"

Dean blushed, staring at the ground for a minute before he answered quietly, "no, I might have decided against mentioning it," he said, scuffing his shoe against the ground.

"Of course you did," Cas said, his tone a clear mix of exasperation and fondness, "I guess it'll add to the surprise. Here's a person you didn't know was coming and he's also my boyfriend."

"Exactly," Dean grinned cheekily, Cas' fond smile giving him strength. "What's the point of telling him in advance when I can just surprise him."

Cas just shook his head, climbing into the shotgun seat of baby and waiting for Dean to get in and start driving. He smiled, like he always did when he sat in Dean's car, everything about Baby screamed of Dean, the music, the cleanliness, even the fact she was still running was all Dean.

Dean sat behind the wheel for a moment, drumming his hands on the wheel before he quietly said, "Cas, just if this doesn't go well, it won't change anything between us will it?" His voice was shaking slightly and he was sure Cas would be able to see his vulnerability, but this was important. He was… he was scared dammit that Cas might meet John, or John might say something, and Cas will just go. He was scared that this will change everything and ruin the best thing to ever happen to Dean.

Cas' face softened slightly, reaching a hand out to cup Dean's face. "This won't change anything," he promised, his voice soft, "I love you Dean, that won't change. No matter what happens now."

Dean nodded, "I'm sorry, it's just-" he stopped himself, how could he explain to his boyfriend that this was his dad. What would happen if Cas saw John and thought Dean would be like him and left. Dean was raised by John, how did Dean know he wouldn't end up like John.

"Dean," Cas said again, his voice still soft, but firm at the same time. Caring, but in a way Dean couldn't argue with. "I. Love. You. I want to meet your family, but not so I can judge you based on them. You are you, and they are them. Nothing will change, they will just know I exist now."

Dean relaxed back into his seat at Cas' words, "I love you," he whispered, "you're the best thing which ever happened to me."

"And you, me," Cas replied, stroking Dean's cheek reassuringly, "now come on, Sam won't pick himself up."

Dean nodded, "yeah," he muttered, starting Baby and driving her out the parking lot, heading towards Sam's middle school. He had the best boyfriend, he knew that for a fact. Now Sam would be able to meet him, he would no longer have to keep Cas hidden and avoid talking about him at home. "You ready?"

Cas laughed gently, "Dean, I've been ready for the last year. The question is, are you?" Dean rolled his eyes, but he couldn't exactly pretend Cas was wrong. They had waited this long because Dean wasn't ready, after everything that has happened he didn't want to bring Cas into his family until he was sure it was forever, and then once he was sure he then became scared introducing him to John would ruin everything.

Now though… now he was certain.

"Yeah, I'm ready," Dean said with a grin. He popped a tape into the tape deck, the loud and familiar music filling the car and soothing any last worries Dean had. He had his boyfriend, his car, his music, what else could he want?

Cas fit so perfectly into the passenger seat. His piercing blue gaze was directed out the window, watching the road fly past, an arm resting on the passenger side door as he tapped his chin in time to the music. He didn't complain about the song choice, or the volume, just smiled and relaxed back, happy to let Dean be Dean in a way no one had ever let Dean before. He didn't want to change any part of Dean, and for that he was infinitely lucky.


	2. Meeting The Winchesters

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello people!! It's Friday again!! Hope you've all had an awesome week!!

Neither of them said anything more until Dean pulled into the parking lot of Sam's middle school, both of them happy to let the music fill the quiet. They didn't need any more conversation right now, there would be plenty of time for talking later, right now was time to mentally prepare to meet Dean’s family and to relish each other's company.

The car stayed silent as Sam emerged from the crowd of middle schoolers, bee lining straight for Baby and the front passenger seat.

Dean could see the exact moment Sam realised there was someone else in Baby. The exact moment he glanced around to check he had the correct car - like there were that many Chevrolet Impalas being driven by high schoolers - and then once he was sure he was looking at the right Baby, squinted as though he would be able to see who was there from a distance. Dean and Cas chuckled quietly together as they waited for Sam to realise it wasn't going to work, and to just walk over and get in the backseat.

It took another ten seconds before Sam continued walking and, as Dean expected, the second the door was shut Sam turned to Cas and asked in a highly suspicious voice, "who are you?"

Cas chuckled, obviously expecting it as well, before answering, "I'm Castiel," without giving any more details. He turned his attention back to the window, basically ignoring Sam. To anyone else, Cas would have looked like an asshole, but Dean could see the nerves in Cas' eyes. He was scared Sam wouldn't like him.

Dean laughed, "Sam, this is Cas, he's my boyfriend." As soon as the words were out his mouth a deafening silence filled the car, Cas waiting for Sam to respond and Sam either too shocked or too disgusted to say anything. Dean hoped it was the first one, he desperately hoped it was the first one.

"Your boyfriend?" Sam parroted back, what could have been minutes, hours or years later. His eyes were darting between Dean and Cas, probably trying to figure out what on earth was going on.

“Yes,” Both Dean and Cas said at the same time, Cas not moving his gaze from the window, even while Dean twisted in his seat to face Sam. He’s going to wait until Sam is comfortable with Dean having a boyfriend before he even thinks about driving home. If Sam won’t even be okay, the Dean isn’t even going to risk John.

“How long have you been together for?” Sam asks awkwardly, his gaze focused on the back of Cas’ head. Dean didn’t answer, already starting to wonder if this was an awful idea, did Sam already hate Cas? How had this gone downhill so quickly?

“Three years,” Cas stated simply, not beating around the bush in the slightest, either not knowing why it would be a big deal, or wanting to prove his point to Dean that he should have met Dean’s family years ago.

“Three years! And I’m only just learning about this now!” Sam practically explodes, turning to glare at his brother, “I know this is your doing Dean! Why didn’t you want me to meet your boyfriend? Did you think I’d scare him off!”   
  
Dean rolled his eyes, “Wasn't you I was worried about,” he muttered under his breath, only just loud enough for the others to hear. He could see the instant Sam realised what he meant, as his eyes went wide and a soft exhale of understanding falling from his lips. “Yeah,” Dean agreed, “exactly.”

“Dean,” Cas sighed, his tone filled to the brim with enough fondness that Sam wouldn’t be able to miss it, even mixed in with the slight annoyance. “How many times do I have to say it, this won’t change anything between us, except from the fact everyone will know where you disappear off to on weekends.”

Dean smiled, “Yeah, I know, but you haven’t met my dad.” He knew he was being at least partly unfair, he trusted Cas. The problem was, John didn’t know he liked guys at all, so Dean had no idea what his reaction to that would be, never mind the fact his boyfriend was a Cas. Cute and nerdy, but not exactly the type of person you can boss around. Maybe John wouldn’t mind if he thought - in the words John would probably use - that Dean was the one wearing the trousers in the relationship. Unfortunately, one glance at Cas was all you needed to be able to tell that he would be the one in the metaphorical trousers.

Yeah, Dean was almost definitely screwed.    
  
John had brought him up to be the manliest man to ever man. He would not be happy with this particular development.

"You really care for him don't you," Sam said, his gaze once more focused on Cas. This time, Cas stared right back, clearly not allowing any misunderstandings here.

"Yes I do." He said clearly, not even blinking as he said it, his eyes filled with all the warmth and love he had for Dean, even while his voice was stern.

Sam smiled widely, clearly that was all he needed to hear. "I'm pleased for you two," he grinned, "it's nice to finally meet you."

Cas grinned, his nervousness clearly forgotten, "it's nice to finally meet you as well, Dean's told me a lot about you."

"I wish I could say the same, but for some reason he decided to keep you hidden."

"I had my reasons!" Dean argued, happy to finally turn the car on and start the drive home.

"I know you did," Sam sighed while Cas laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, "but that doesn't change how annoying it is. Cas clearly means a lot to you, I would have liked to get to know him earlier."

Dean rolled his eyes, "yeah, I get it, can we stop discussing this so you two can actually get to know each other now."

The other two men in the car quickly agreed and spent the rest of the drive asking each other questions and learning each other.

By the end of the drive Dean couldn't stop smiling. Cas and Sam were getting along and that was all Dean had ever wanted.

Dean could feel his nervousness returning as soon as he started climbing out of the car. Sam had liked Cas, but John would be a completely different situation.

A warm hand slips into Dean's, squeezing reassuringly as his boyfriend comes to stand next to him and offer him comfort.

"It won't change anything," he whispered lightly, waiting until Dean was ready before he let go of his hand and followed Dean into the house. Although Dean missed the warmth of Cas' hand in his, he was still thankful his boyfriend managed to read the situation properly. Coming out with his dad would be so much easier without being outed the second he walked into the door due to holding hands with a guy.

"Alright then, let's do this," Dean murmured, clapping his hands together a couple of times as he walked towards the door.

He pulled it open, ushering Sam and Cas through the door in front of him. He was about to lock the door behind him, but decided against it. You never know when you might need to flee quickly.

"Dad!" Sam yelled, waiting for a response. John was in the sitting room, watching TV, looking tired like he had just collapsed on the couch after work.

"Sam," John greeted, "whose this?" He gestured to Cas, who was hovering in the doorway near Dean.

"This is Castiel," Dean spoke up, "he's my boyfriend."

John seemed to freeze up slightly, a slightly forced smile on his face. "Oh, that's nice," he muttered, "how did you two meet?"

"We share quite a few classes," Cas replied, clearly slightly on edge. His deep voice clearly caught John off guard, causing him to squint at Dean for a moment.

"That's nice," John said again, "well, I won't continue taking up your time. You can go off and do whatever you do, and I'll see you at dinner."

Everyone agreed and Dean quickly herded the other two out of the room and headed to the kitchen.

"Right I need to cook," he announced, trying to keep his mind off John's odd reaction, "Sam, do your homework, Cas, you can do whatever you want." 

"Can I help?" Cas asked, peering at the ingredients Dean was pulling from the cupboard.

"Sure," Dean agreed, always happy to work with his boyfriend.

Working together, it only took them about half an hour before the food was ready, homemade burgers with enough vegetables to keep Sam happy.

Dean sent Sam through to grab John while he and Cas set the table and plated up everyone's servings. There was a steady stream of conversation going between them, making Dean smile. It was probably because his smile was so easy, that as soon as John walked in and Dean’s smile became slightly more tense, Cas noticed straight away.

“Whats up?” he asked, whispering because he knew Dean didn’t want Sam to hear and he was just considerate like that. After three years, Cas was really good at reading Dean and knowing when it was best to act a certain way.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dean assured with a grin, “Just nervous. I’m worried this will go wrong.” John had seemed pretty unbothered earlier, but Dean wasn’t sure that wasn’t going to change. He just didn’t trust his dad not to mess this whole thing up.

“Even if it does,” Cas replied easily, “nothing will change. I promise.”

Dean nodded thankfully, going to take his seat and start their dinner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Shockingly enough, John stayed pleasant for the entirety of dinner. In fact, he stayed pleasant up to and including when Dean and Cas said goodbye with a kiss and Cas started walking home with the promise to text Dean as soon as he was home.

It was only after Cas was out of view that John turned around, his face contorted with rage, and walked right up into Dean’s space. He was angry, his face red, and Dean didn't think twice before telling Sam to go to his room and lock the door behind him.

Dean managed to keep it calm until he heard Sam’s door slam shut, but after that he had lost basically all control. John was screaming, his fists were flying and Dean honestly wasn’t sure if he was going to make it out of this.

He was honestly not sure he could survive this.


	3. Happy Ever After?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it kids!! Final chapter!! Hope you enjoy!!

After what felt like hours, but could have been mere minutes, John grabbed his wallet and keys and walked out the door, spitting a few more insults at Dean on his way out. Dean was clinging to consciousness, blackness on the edge of his vision as he lay on the floor, unable to move anything more than his eyes due to the searing pain.

Time meant nothing to him. His eyes drifting open and closed then open again. He heard a door open, his eyes slid shut. He heard footsteps, his eyes slid open. Sam was there, grabbing Dean’s phone from his pocket and using Dean’s thumb to unlock it. Dean was too tired to protest as Sam scrolled through it, clicking a couple of times until the unmistakable sound of the dial tone rang out. Sam was muttering comforting nothings, promising Dean he would be okay and that Sam would sort this out. He didn’t call for an ambulance, both boys knowing a hospital would be the worst place they could go.

Dean listened, wondering who Sam could possibly be trying to contact. Who could possibly help them. Most of the people they know are John’s friends who probably have the same idea of what should be done to someone like Dean.

“Yes, thank you,” Sam said, whoever is on the other end is clearly saying something Sam is happy about and Dean wished he had heard the start of the conversation so that he would know what was happening. “Maybe, yeah I’m sure he’d look after us for a bit, I’ll call him,” Sam continued. Dean was too tired to try and fill in the blanks of the conversation, he figured that Sam would tell him if it was important. “Yeah, see you soon, bye.”   
  


Dean opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but Sam didn’t pause, just scrolled a bit further through what Dean assumed was his contacts. He was muttering under his breath what sounded like insults at Dean for using nicknames as contacts instead of names, before a dial tone filled the air once more, as Sam presumably found whoever he was looking for.

“Cas,” Sam said happily, “No it’s Sam.” Dean couldn’t hear Cas, but if Sam’s face was anything to go off, he knew something was wrong. “I’ll tell you later, we just need somewhere to crash for a couple of hours. No. Yeah, I don’t know, I was in my room.” there was a long pause of Sam just listening before he said, “thanks Cas, I’ll unlock the front door for you.”

Dean weakly reached out for his phone, but Sam ignored him, hanging up and going to unlock the door before returning to Dean’s side. When he saw Dean's insulted look he sighed, “He needed to drive, you can talk to him when he gets here.”

“Fine,” Dean muttered, his throat dry but the word still audible. Everything still hurt, but he could feel movement returning to him and he didn’t think anything was broken. His wrist was definitely not good, and his ribs were probably bruised and Dean was certain he would be covered in bruises for weeks, but it wasn’t as bad as he had expected and he didn’t have any open wounds that he was aware of.

Dean managed to sit up and drink some water in the time it took for Cas to arrive. He crashed through the door, not pausing for small talk as he grabbed Dean’s arm and put it around his neck so he could suppose Dean as they walked to the car, and told Sam to get in. Before Dean knew it they were outside Cas’ house and Cas was helping him up the drive. Cas’ parents seemed concerned, but clearly Cas had told them that the Winchester’s were going to be crashing there for a bit, and that Dean was hurt, because they barely blinked when they all walked through the house, and Cas’ room was already stocked with all the supplies he would need.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Dean didn’t remember much from that night, too tired and in pain and safe with Cas to really pay much attention to what was happening. All he remembered afterwards was that Cas had looked after him, while his parents and older siblings had looked after Sam, keeping him distracted and making sure he didn’t blame himself for it.

In the morning Dean was stiff, his muscles aching, but Cas was there next to him, warm and reassuring and a promise that everything will be okay. He could hear a conversation going on downstairs, the quiet voices of Sam and Bobby and Cas’ family drifting up the stairs. Dean couldn't hear what they were talking about, but he knew it was probably about him, John, or both.

He turned around, as though facing away from the door would erase the conversation going on downstairs, and came face to face with bright blue eyes watching him worriedly.

“Hello Dean,” Cas said with a sad smile when he made eye contact, “How’re you feeling?”

Dean smiled slightly, leaning forward to press a kiss against Cas’ nose, “better now,” he smiled, “thank you.”

Cas turned his face away, clearly not agreeing with Dean’s thanks. “Don’t thank me,” he whispered, his voice cracking with guilt, “this is my fault. I convinced you to let me meet your family, and now this happened.”

Dean stared into Cas’ eyes, seeing the sheer weight of the guilt and self-hatred there, “no Cas,” he said quietly, “I couldn’t have hidden this forever, he would have found out, at least this way we are getting out of there. I don’t have to hide who I am anymore.”   
  
Cas nods minutely, clearly still blaming himself but unable to argue with Dean’s logic, “I love you,” Cas whispers, “and I hate seeing you hurt, especially when I could have prevented it.”   
  
“I love you too, but you’re an idiot.” Dean chuckled fondly, “You couldn’t have stopped this, no matter how much you wanted to.”

Cas was definitely still not convinced and Dean mentally cursed his boyfriend’s stubbornness. Knowing when it was best to leave it for now, Dean changed the subject, “Well I’m starving,” he said, “let’s head down and get some food?”

Cas looked unsure for a moment before nodding his head, climbing out the bed and holding a hand out to help Dean up. Despite the stiffness, Dean felt a lot better now, and only needed a bit of help getting down the stairs. He wasn’t exactly zooming, but he was standing and walking, and that was good enough for now.

Just like he expected, everyone else in the house was congregated in the kitchen, having a conversation. They instantly stopped when Dean walked in, so it was probably about him. Not that he was surprised, but on principle he still had to say, “oh don’t mind me, continue whatever you were saying.”

No one continued, but Bobby did fondly shake his head. “Good to see you on your feet Princess,” he muttered, the relief in his eyes telling Dean that he wasn’t being sarcastic, he actually had been worried about Dean.

“It’ll take more than that to get rid of me,” Dean assures everyone, grabbing a plate and digging into the breakfast foods which had been left on the stove. “So, what's the plan?” He tried his best to sound unbothered, but he doubted he managed to hide the tension in his voice that well.

“You’re going to move in with me,” Bobby replied, “You won’t have to deal with John again, I have a friend in the police who will be able to help me get legal guardianship of you two.”

Dean nodded, he knew this was the best option, but he still couldn’t stop his gaze from drifting to Cas. He didn’t want to move away, he didn’t want to lose Cas. He didn’t say anything, but someone must have seen his glance, because Bobby continued.

“Obviously it wouldn’t make much sense to move your school this far into the year,” he said, and Dean felt something in his heart calm, it would be just like before, they could still be together at school.

“And you’re always welcome here after school,” Cas’ dad added on with a small smile, “You could always spend a couple of nights a week here if you wanted, as long as there isn’t any funny business.”   
  
Dean felt a wide grin spreading across his face, he was safe, he got to keep his boyfriend, he was free from his dad. Everything was… it wasn’t perfect, not yet, but it was pretty damn good.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you enjoyed it!!

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will update once a week on a Friday.
> 
> Comments and Kudos give me life!
> 
> Have an awesome week!!


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